What Are Conflict Minerals?

The term “conflict minerals” is defined as columbite-tantalite, also known as coltan (from which tantalum is derived); cassiterite (tin); gold; wolframite (tungsten); or their derivatives; or any other mineral or its derivatives determined by the Secretary of State to be financing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or an adjoining country.

In 2010, President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Consumer Protection Act into law. Section 1502 of that act addresses the international trade and use of Conflict Minerals. But what are Conflict Minerals and how do they affect our everyday lives? Like the similar issue of Conflict Diamonds, the term Conflict Minerals refers to raw materials that come from a particular part of the world where conflict is occurring and affects the mining and trading of those materials. Our infographic below will help you understand some of the key points surrounding this issue and what it means for consumers and companies in the United States.